College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences

University of Vermont

School Description

The College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS) is composed of a constellation of brilliant and vibrant departments and programs. Our interdisciplinary approach prepares graduates for leadership roles while cultivating a diverse community of scholars. It’s our mission to provide the State of Vermont an intellectual resource for technologically driven economic growth and to promote engineering, computer science and mathematics as professions in service to humanity.

College Mission + Profile

CEMS is home to one school — The School of Engineering — and two departments — The Department of Computer Science and The Department of Mathematics and Statistics. CEMS faculty and students are actively engaged in on-campus transdisciplinary programs including Vermont Complex Systems Center, Vermont Advanced Computing Core (VACC) and the Integrative Graduate Education and Training (IGERT) program. Our statewide community outreach programs reach K-12 teachers and students and include The Governor’s Institute of Vermont and FIRST Robotics.

Welcome from Dean Luis Garcia

Welcome to the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS) at UVM. You have chosen a field of study that will enable you to shape the future of our world as society faces ever-larger challenges, such as utilizing our limited resources more efficiently, reducing the human race footprint on the planet, and developing new and more powerful computing tools that allow us to solve problems faster and more efficiently. As a member of the CEMS community you will learn skills that will help you develop into a topnotch STEM thinker and professional.

CEMS is a close-knit community where students get to know each other and their professors. Our STEM-oriented school within a comprehensive university setting provides students the opportunity to take advantage of a holistic graduate and undergraduate experience. In addition to our degree programs we also offer innovative certificate programs which provide credentials that build an individual’s qualifications and support his or her desire to make career changes, advance within a field, or access a higher paying job.

The cross-pollination of ideas is only possible in a setting like CEMS, where students have the opportunity to gain knowledge of supporting disciplines within and outside the college. Our aim is to provide you with a unique experience that allows you to maximize your individual potential while providing you a world-class education and skill set. Again welcome to CEMS.

MSc

At UVM, our graduate students work closely with outstanding faculty who are research active in many areas of the broad discipline of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
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Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Welcome From The Graduate Program Coordinator
At UVM, our graduate students work closely with outstanding faculty who are research active in many areas of the broad discipline of Civil and Environmental Engineering, including:
Airborne Particle Characterization & Processes (Holmén)
Chemical fate and transport (Holmén)
Civil infrastructure materials and modeling (Dewoolkar, Hernandez)
Contaminant Hydrology (Pinder, Rizzo)
Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental engineering (Dewoolkar, Ghazanfari)
Groundwater modeling (Pinder, Rizzo)
Hydrology (Bomblies, Pinder, Rizzo)
Natural and Engineering Systems Modeling (Rizzo)
Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering (Dewoolkar and Hernandez)
Structural Health Monitoring and Diagnostics (Hernandez)
Wireless sensor networks for health monitoring of subsurface geo-systems (Ghazanfari)
Sustainable transportation systems (Aultman-Hall, Holmén, Lee)
Sustainable energy infrastructure (Tan, Ghazanfari)
Geo-energy systems (Ghazanfari)
Heritage structure conservation (Dewoolkar, Tan)
All of us are very approachable, so do not hesitate to contact us via email to inquire about our research activities and openings for new students in our research groups.
Nearly all of our ~ 30 graduate students are full-time students and fully supported by either faculty research grants or teaching assistantships. Students may also pursue the non-thesis option without financial support. CEE is a broad field and a number of our graduate students work collaboratively with other UVM faculty in, to name a few, the School of Natural Resources, College of Medicine, Geology, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Community Development and Applied Economics (CDAE). I encourage you to build your own plan for your graduate student career using as many of UVM's research and academic resources as possible.
Certificates of Graduate Study are available for graduate students wishing to pursue interdisciplinary research areas in some depth. Interested students should contact the coordinators of these programs which involve taking a set of courses focused on one particular theme. Graduate students must formally apply to the individual Certificate Program prior to the start of the semester in which the courses will count toward the Certificate.
Sustainable Transportation Systems and Planning
Complex Systems
Ecological Design
In addition to our M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, we also have an Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) for undergraduate UVM students majoring in either Civil Engineering or Environmental Engineering - with just one additional year of coursework and research, students can jump start their engineering careers by obtaining their M.S. degree. Interested undergraduate students should explore information on the AMP in the Fall of their Junior year at UVM by contacting the Graduate Program Coordinator and our AMP webpage located at the School of Engineering website.
I encourage you to review our webpages on faculty research projects as well as our Graduate Student Handbook to learn more about our outstanding programs and faculty. Furthermore, once you have identified faculty with whom you would like to work or topic are of your interest for your graduate study, please fill out our Pre-Application Form (see below) to initiate the application process.
Pre-Application Procedures
To apply for graduate study, see the UVM Graduate College website (www.uvm.edu/~gradcoll) where you will find general information for prospective students on the formal application process (on-line submission of the Application Form, 3 letters of recommendation, GRE and TOEFL (or IELTS) scores). More specific information about the CEE Graduate Program application process is found in our Graduate Student Handbook.
Research Faculty Expertise
Please see the list below of our primary areas of research. For more information about our work in each area, click on the faculty members with that research expertise.
Environmental
Faculty: Mandar Dewoolkar, Britt Holmén, Donna Rizzo
Transportation
Faculty: Lisa Aultman-Hall, Britt Holmén, Brian Lee
Hydrology
Faculty: Arne Bomblies, George Pinder, Donna Rizzo
Geotechnical
Faculty: Mandar Dewoolkar, Ehsan Ghazanfari
Structures
Faculty: Eric Hernandez,Ting Tan
Admissions Requirements
The Civil & Environmental Engineering graduate program offers Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Each student must meet the general requirements for admission as outlined under the regulations of the University of Vermont Graduate College.
Typically, students entering the program have received a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, environmental engineering, or a related field. Applicants with other backgrounds will be evaluated individually and must complete prescribed undergraduate technical course work.
Part-time study leading to the Master of Science degree is possible for engineers who are employed in the vicinity. An Accelerated Master's Program is available for qualified undergraduates.
Teaching and research assistantships are available on a competitive basis.
TOEFL/IELTS
If English is not the applicant’s first language, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score is required. UVM requires a minimum band IELTS score of 6.5. and 7.0 for funding. For information about test dates and sites for TOEFL, contact TOEFL; and for IELTS, contact IELTS . If an international student has attended a U.S. institution for three or more years, the Office of Admissions may waive the requirement for TOEFL or IELTS scores on a case-by-case basis.
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The Master's Program (MS) is a traditional two-year degree program that offers both a thesis and a non thesis option.
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Master of Science in Computer Science
The Master's Program (MS) is a traditional two-year degree program that offers both a thesis and a non thesis option.
Master's Degree Requirements
The Master's of Science in Computer Science degree is intended to add depth in computer science to an undergraduate degree. Many students use a Master's degree to further an existing career as a computer professional; others use the program as an opportunity to change career paths. Many of these students have majors in disciplines other than computer science; students with particularly weak computer science background will be required to take additional courses before being accepted into the Master's program. Each student will be evaluated regarding additional courses (in addition to the MS degree requirements) to be taken. These additional course requirements are detailed in the acceptence letter from the graduate college.
Core Course Requirement
The degree program can be completed with one of the three options (thesis, project, and coursework, see below). Regardless of the option chosen, all Master's students are expected to complete the following three courses:
CS201 Operating Systems
CS224 Analysis of Algorithms
CS243 Theory of Computation
Based on a student's background, the Graduate Committee may grant a student a waiver from some or all of these course requirements. In the case of a waiver, a replacement course needs to be approved by the student's advisor and the Graduate Committee.
Comprehensive Exams
Each student must pass a comprehensive exam before graduating, regardless of the option chosen. A complete description can be found from the CS comprehensive exam guidelines.
Each student who needs to take comprehensive oral exams according to the guidelines should arrange a schedule with the examiners and then inform the Graduate Committee of the exam date. It is strongly recommended that the examination is completed during the academic year, unless all examiners agree to give the exam on a date during the break.
Students must enroll in GRAD 397: Master`s Comprehensive Examination prior to taking the comprehensive examination or being considered to have passed the exam. There is no fee. A grade of "S" or "U" is recorded.
Credit Transfer
With approval of the Graduate Committee, up to 9 credit hours of course work in Computer Science (or a closely related field) may be transferred into the Master's degree. Only credits that have not been used for other degrees (Bachelor's, Master's, or others) are considered. Note that these credits include any courses taken at UVM before enrolling in the Master's program and any courses taken at other institutions, whether before or after enrolling at UVM. In addition, with the approval of the Graduate Committee, a student may apply courses in a closely related field taken at the graduate level while in residence at UVM to their Master's requirements.
Note that transfer and waiver are two different, independent concepts. A transfer means that the transferred credits are counted towards your Master's degree at UVM, while a waiver only means that one of the five required courses is replaced by some other courses (possibly transferred ones).
Also, please note that the Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) (see below) is an exception to this 9-credit-transfer rule.
Academic Standing
To remain in good standing, students must continue to make reasonable progress towards completing their degree requirements. To measure this progress, three requirements are placed on all Master's students:
Time limit. All full-time students (taking at least 15 credits/year) must complete their degree within 3 years of enrollment. Part-time students must complete their degree with 5 years of enrollment. Extensions may be awarded for extraordinary extenuating circumstances, at the discretion of the Graduate Committee.
Grades in individual courses. Any grade of B- or worse is unacceptable for a Master's student. Upon receipt of a second (or any subsequent) unacceptable grade, the student's progress will be reviewed by the Graduate Committee. The Graduate Committee may choose to impose sanctions on the student, including requiring an additional course or dismissing the student from the program.
Accumulative grade point average (GPA). Every Master's student must maintain a 3.0 (B) GPA at all times. Any student falling below a 3.0 will be placed on academic probation and their progress will be reviewed by the Graduate Committee, with the possible imposition of sanctions. Furthermore, no student whose final GPA is below 3.0 will be allowed to graduate.
Thesis Option
Students choosing the thesis option must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours, including minimum 21 credits of coursework and 6 credits of thesis research.
A Master's thesis consists of original research work done under the guidance of a faculty member. Students opting to pursue a thesis must select a thesis advisor who agrees to supervise that student's thesis work. The thesis advisor may be any graduate faculty member who holds either a primary or a secondary appointment from the Department.
Full-time students should normally choose a thesis advisor by the end of their first semester.
Each thesis student must write a thesis describing their research. The thesis is presented before a thesis committee in a public oral thesis defense. The thesis committee must include three different individuals: (1) the student's thesis advisor (see below), (2) another graduate faculty member of the department, and (3) the chair of the thesis committee. The chair of the thesis committee must be a member of the graduate faculty without an appointment (either primary or secondary) in the department.
At least three weeks before the defense, the written thesis must be submitted to the Graduate College for a format check. At least two weeks before the defense, the student must make copies of the written thesis available to all members of the thesis committee. The thesis defense itself must be adequately advertised to the community.
Project Option
Students choosing the project option must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours, including minimum 24 credits of coursework and 3 credits of project (CS392).
A graduate project typically consists of a significant implementation done under the guidance of a faculty member. Students opting to pursue a project must select an advisor who agrees to supervise that student's work. The advisor may be any faculty member who holds either a primary or a secondary appointment from the Department.
Full-time students should normally choose a project advisor by the end of their first semester. Prior to the selection of an advisor, a member of the Graduate Committee serves as the student's advisor (see the Director of Graduate Studies for details).
The results of the project are presented before a project committee in a public talk, which has been advertised to the community. The project committee must include three individuals, at least two of whom must hold appointments in the department. The chair, who may be the project advisor, must be a member of the Graduate College and hold an appointment in the department. The composition of the committee must be approved by the Graduate Committee.
One bound copy of the project report should be submitted to the Graduate Program Director within 30 days after the defense. The submitted copy will be archived in the departmental file.
Documents needed to complete a project defense comprise the project report, acceptance page, and the exam result.
Coursework Option
Students choosing a coursework option must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of course work.
Applying to the Master's Program
A student interested in a Master's degree in Computer Science must submit a complete application packet including
the application form (available on-line)
complete collegiate transcripts
statement of purpose
three reference letters
In addition, Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general scores must be submitted. There is no cutoff GRE score required for admission; the Department considers GRE scores as one factor in a complete application packet. Past academic performance, reference letters, the statement of purpose and any other exceptional circumstances all help determine the applicant's suitability for the program. We admit students who we believe are most likely to succeed and thrive in the program.
Application deadlines are:
Fall enrollment: Apply by February 15
Spring enrollment: Apply by October 15
Applications received after the deadlines are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Master's Program Pre-Requisites
The Master's program assumes all incoming students have the fundamental skills required of computer science students, with strong programming skills in C, C++ or Java and a solid mathematical background, including calculus, statistics, probability and discrete mathematics.
Typically entering students can demonstrate this background through previous course work. A solid background for the program would include the following courses:
2 semesters of programming in a modern, high-level programming language (CS21 and CS110 at UVM)
1 course in computer organization, including exposure to assembly language and computer arithmetic (CS121)
1 course in theory of computation (e.g. CS 125)
1 course in data structures (CS124)
Differential, integral and multivariate calculus (MATH 21+22)
Discrete mathematics (CS64)
Linear algebra (MATH 124)
Statistics and probability (STAT 141, 151, or 153)
Many students lack one or two of these courses. In this case, your admission letter may state requirements to supplant your background in addition to the requirements listed in the Degree Requirements section. Once these requirements have been completed, you will be advanced to candidacy for the Master's Degree. Students satisfying all the above requirements will normally be advanced to candidacy upon being granted admission.
All applicants must demonstrate a solid background before being admitted. Only applicants demonstrating at least the equivalent of two of CS121, CS124, and CS125 and a reasonable background in mathematics will be considered for admission.
Funding for Students
The Department of Computer Science is able to fund a small number of graduate students every year.
The most common form of funding is as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA). Each GTA spends 20 hours each week during the school year (starting 1 week before classes begin) supporting the department's educational mission. This work typically involves some combination of grading, offering help sessions or office hours and monitoring student labs. Each GTA will be assigned a specific number of hours for each task and will work under the guidance of the faculty member teaching the course or lab. Each GTA must also attend a series of short training sessions early in their first semester.
The Graduate Committee nominates potential GTAs from the pool of admitted students. GTAs are selected from the best students in the program who best fit the department's needs. It is possible, to gain GTA funding after one or more semesters as an unfunded graduate student. GTA students who continue to satisfy the department's requirements and make satisfactory progress towards their degree will maintain their funding.
Funding as a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) is also available. The availability of research funding depends on the current grants held by departmental faculty. Students with exception research potential in the funded areas will be considered as GRAs. All admitted students indicating interest in departmental funding will be considered for all available funded positions. The only requirement of the applicant is to indicate interest in departmental funding on the application.
TOEFL/IELTS
If English is not the applicant’s first language, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score is required. UVM requires a minimum band IELTS score of 6.5. and 7.0 for funding. For TOEFL see scores see attached chart. For information about test dates and sites for TOEFL, contact TOEFL ; and for IELTS, contact IELTS . If an international student has attended a U.S. institution for three or more years, the Office of Admissions may waive the requirement for TOEFL or IELTS scores on a case-by-case basis.
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The Electrical Engineering (EE) graduate program at UVM offers you the chance to contribute to EE innovation, while also expanding your career options.
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Master of Science in Electrical Engineering
From the power grid to smart phones, electrical engineers design the technologies that make modern life possible.
The Electrical Engineering (EE) graduate program at UVM offers you the chance to contribute to EE innovation, while also expanding your career options.
UVM offers an M.S. degree with research, project, or course-work options, an accelerated M.S. degree track for qualified undergraduate students as well as a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degree.
UVM has outstanding EE faculty, who work closely with talented students in the classroom, laboratory, and in research addressing global issues and technological challenges. Opportunities also exists for collaborative research projects with industry partners and national research laboratories.
The major EE research areas include power/energy systems, wireless communications, electromagnetics, signal processing, materials and devices, microelectronics, and control systems. Funding opportunities are available for top students interested in pursuing research, including Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA’s) and Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA’s). We normally receive many more applications than
we are able to accept and fund therefore it is strongly recommended that you submit your application by February 1, 2015 to obtain full consideration for Fall admission and funding.
We look forward to welcoming you to UVM as a member of our outstanding graduate program of dedicated faculty and staff and highly motivated students.
Note that we currently have fully-funded PhD openings for US citizens and permanent residents interested in the future of power and energy systems: the Smart Grid.
Individuals with MS degrees are preferred.
TOEFL/IELTS
If English is not the applicant’s first language, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score is required. UVM requires a minimum band IELTS score of 6.5. and 7.0 for funding. For TOEFL see scores see attached chart. For information about test dates and sites for TOEFL, contact TOEFL ; and for IELTS, contact IELTS . If an international student has attended a U.S. institution for three or more years, the Office of Admissions may waive the requirement for TOEFL or IELTS scores on a case-by-case basis.
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The Department offers programs towards the Master of Science, Master of Science in Teaching, and the Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematical Sciences.
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Master of Science in Mathematics
Overview
The Department offers programs towards the Master of Science, Master of Science in Teaching, and the Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematical Sciences. Students in the M.S. program can choose a major subject from among analysis, algebra, discrete mathematics and applied mathematics. Students in the MS or PhD program can pursue research with faculty specializing in classical analysis, harmonic analysis, Fourier analysis, algebra, number theory, graph theory, combinatorics, complex systems, fluid mechanics, biomathematics, differential equations, numerical analysis, and modeling.
The department offers an Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) leading to a B.S. and M.S. degree in five years. Interested students should contact the department by the end of their sophomore year.
Specific Requirements
Requirements for Admission to Graduate Studies for the Degree of Master of Science
Because of the breadth of pure and applied mathematics, it is recognized that applicants for admission will have diverse backgrounds. Admission requirements are therefore flexible. Applicants should have demonstrated strength in either pure or applied mathematics, a bachelor's degree with a major in mathematics or a closely related discipline, and satisfactory scores on the general Graduate Record Examination.
Minimum Degree Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science
Each student must complete one of the following options:
Twenty-four semester hours of acceptable graduate credits in advanced mathematics courses; six semester hours of thesis research culminating in a master's thesis, or
Thirty semester hours of acceptable graduate credits in advanced mathematics courses; no thesis required.
In both options students must select a major concentration from among the areas: Analysis, Algebra, Applied Mathematics, or Discrete Mathematics. The concentration shall consist of at least nine approved hours in advanced mathematics courses in the respective area, three of which must be at the 300-level; students in option b. may count the six hours of thesis credit towards these nine hours. With approval of the student's advisor up to six hours of courses outside mathematics may be used to fulfill the major or degree requirements.
Career Opportunities
A graduate degree in the mathematical sciences will give you good preparation for a career in business, industry, government, teaching or research. Graduates of our programs are employed in the computer, communications, information, financial, and pharmaceutical industries; in engineering and consulting firms; in the insurance industry as actuaries; in schools, colleges, and universities; in government agencies; and in a wide variety of other occupations requiring strong analytical and problem solving abilities.
TOEFL/IELTS
If English is not the applicant’s first language, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score is required. UVM requires a minimum band IELTS score of 6.5. and 7.0 for funding. For TOEFL see scores see attached chart. For information about test dates and sites for TOEFL, contact TOEFL ; and for IELTS, contact IELTS . If an international student has attended a U.S. institution for three or more years, the Office of Admissions may waive the requirement for TOEFL or IELTS scores on a case-by-case basis.
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We offer a doctoral (Ph.D.) degree and a Master's of Science (M.S.) degree in mechanical engineering, as well as an accelerated M.S. degree in mechanical engineering for qualified students.
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Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Welcome from the graduate program coordinator.
On behalf of the mechanical engineering graduate faculty, I welcome you to discover the different facets of our dynamic program at the University of Vermont. We offer a doctoral (Ph.D.) degree and a Master's of Science (M.S.) degree in mechanical engineering, as well as an accelerated M.S. degree in mechanical engineering for qualified students. In 2012, the program has received a record number of applications for admission, and is currently home for 40 graduate students, including 15 Ph.D. students. This represents a net increase of about 20% in graduate student enrollment in this program since 2011. The main asset of the UVM mechanical engineering graduate program is the human factor that is our dedicated faculty and staff, and motivated students.
Curriculum. We continuously update our curriculum to address modern topics in mechanical engineering, and to offer a breadth of courses that makes studying in our program more flexible, whether you intend to earn an M.S. as a continuing student from local industries, or directly obtain a doctorate right from your bachelor. Most of our graduate students are full-time and actively engaged in research projects with one or two faculty mentors who will be dedicated to your success. The size of the program also enables you to have close interactions with the rest of the faculty, and to regularly participate in the life of the program via graduate student seminars and invited speaker presentations.
Graduate. Since its creation, 200 students from across the United States and various countries around the world have graduated from the UVM mechanical engineering graduate program. Also, we actively seek to admit a diverse group of students in mechanical engineering to address the contemporary challenges of our Society. To date, our graduates have achieved successful careers in academia as distinguished professors, in industry as engineers and entrepreneurs, and in government positions as program directors for national funding agencies or scientists at national laboratories.
Faculty and Research. The success of our graduate program is build on a distinguished faculty whose research is recognized nationally and internationally through innovation, dissemination of knowledge in high-impact journals, and research awards. Recently, our faculty has won major awards from Department of Defense, Department of Energy, NASA, and the National Science Foundation, and includes the recipients of one ARO young investigator award, one DoE early career award and two NSF CAREER awards. Clearly, our focus is to create a research environment that is highly interdisciplinary and collaborative from which our students can thrive.
Admission. Each application is reviewed once a complete online submission is received. It is strongly recommended to submit your application by February 1 to obtain full consideration in the fall admissions, and September 1 for the spring admissions. Also, a link is provided in the sidebar to help determine whether you satisfy the minimum qualifications for admission.
Thank you again for visiting our website. I very much look forward to seeing you study in Vermont in Mechanical Engineering.
Douglas Fletcher, Ph.D.
Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator
Applicant Qualifications
The mechanical engineering graduate program seeks to attract excellent students. We offer a doctoral (Ph.D.) degree and a Master's of Science (M.S.) degree in mechanical engineering, as well as an accelerated M.S. degree in mechanical engineering for qualified undergraduate students. Each student must meet the general requirements for admission as outlined under the regulations of the University of Vermont Graduate College. Typically, students entering the program have received a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related field. Applicants with other backgrounds will be evaluated individually and must complete prescribed undergraduate technical course work. Part-time study leading to the Master of Science degree is also possible for engineers who are employed in the vicinity. Applications are accepted from the United States and around the world.
Application for Admission
To be considered for admission in our graduate program in mechanical engineering, students must complete an official application with UVM Graduate College using the on-line application process. Applications are evaluated based on transcript information, GRE (general test), statement of purpose, and recommendation letters to develop a complete understanding of an applicant's likelihood to succeed in advanced study of mechanical engineering. While applications are reviewed as soon as they are received, we appreciate your patience until the admission decision is made. The deadlines for application submission are:
February 1 for fall admissions.
September 1 for spring admissions.
TOEFL/IELTS
If English is not the applicant’s first language, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score is required. UVM requires a minimum band IELTS score of 6.5. and 7.0 for funding. For TOEFL see scores see attached chart. For information about test dates and sites for TOEFL, contact TOEFL ; and for IELTS, contact IELTS . If an international student has attended a U.S. institution for three or more years, the Office of Admissions may waive the requirement for TOEFL or IELTS scores on a case-by-case basis.
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The Statistics Program offers biostatistics, statistics, and probability courses for the entire University community along with traditional degree programs.
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Master of Science in Statistics
Overview
The Statistics Program offers biostatistics, statistics, and probability courses for the entire University community along with traditional degree programs and individually designed degree programs emphasizing statistics applied to other fields. The degree programs are designed primarily for students who plan careers in business, actuarial science, industry, and government or advanced training in disciplines that make extensive use of statistical principles and methods. The Program faculty is deeply involved in consulting and collaborative research in a wide variety of fields, including industry, agriculture and in the basic and clinical medical sciences. These research activities along with the research of other quantitative UVM faculty offer students unique opportunities to apply their classroom training to "real world" problems.
Qualified students with the goal of learning statistics to use in a specialized area of application are especially encouraged to take advantage of these cooperative arrangements.
Program faculty have active statistics research efforts in areas such as bioinformatics, sequential analysis, three stage sampling, time series analysis, survival data analysis, discriminant analysis, bootstrap methods, categorical data analysis, measurement error models, and experimental design. Students seeking the traditional graduate degree in statistics (along with course work in mathematics and computer science, if desired) have excellent opportunities to participate in the faculty's research. The Statistics Program has established an internship affiliation with the Vermont Department of Health. The internship program provides an excellent opportunity to interact with researchers from various disciplines on a variety projects.
Undergraduates at the University of Vermont are encouraged to consider the Accelerated Master's Program (AMP). Please contact Jeff Buzas, our Statistics Program Director, for further information about this opportunity.
Full-time graduate students in Statistics and Biostatistics at UVM typically take two years to complete their M.S. degree.
Degree Requirements
The department offers both a thesis option and a non-thesis option within the MS degree in Statistics.
Under both plans, students must have or acquire knowledge of the material in STAT 211 in addition to their required course work. Additional specific courses may be required depending on the student's background and interest. Other courses in statistics or related areas are selected with the approval of the student's advisor.
Under both plans, the student is expected to participate in the colloquium series and the Statistics Student Association Journal Club. The student must pass the comprehensive examination, which covers knowledge acquired in the core courses of the program.
Career Opportunities
Statistics and biostatistics as professional careers offer a wide variety of stimulating challenges and opportunities. Their appeal derives from the fact that they are mathematical sciences, with the rigor and beauty of that discipline, and that they are also intended to address problems of great importance to society.
Statisticians help solve incompletely specified problems by designing questionnaires, experiments or other studies to collect appropriate data. They also design the methods of data processing and statistical analysis, and finally interpret the results in order to take action. The statistician is often part of a team bringing his or her special expertise to bear on an issue to aid other scientists or management come to reasonable conclusions and make the appropriate decisions.
Job opportunities are excellent.
There a number of traditionally strong areas of need for statisticians and recently there has been a very wide recognition of the importance of statistics in the quality improvement efforts of American businesses and health care organizations as well as other institutions. Our own students have taken jobs with:
Industry (e.g. computer manufacturing, research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, quality control)
Business (e.g. market and survey research)
Federal and state agencies (e.g. Health Dept., Census Bureau, National Security Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, Social Service Agencies, U.S. Army)
Health care organizations or medical colleges
Other graduates have continued on to medical school and graduate study in such fields as psychology, education, economics, epidemiology, public health, business administration or mechanical engineering, as well as doctoral programs in biostatistics and statistics.
Many of our students already have earned graduate degrees in other fields and view the additional statistics degree as a means of expanding their career opportunities.
Admission Requirements
The following are required for admission to our graduate programs in statistics or biostatistics.
A baccalaureate degree
Three semesters of calculus, through multivariable calculus (UVM MATH 021, 022, and 121 or equivalent)
A course in matrix methods (UVM MATH 124 or equivalent)
At least one course in statistics (such as UVM STAT 211). Certainly more background, in terms of formal coursework in statistics and/or experience with data analysis is highly desirable.
GRE (Graduate Record Exam) - general test
It is possible to be admitted to our programs (but not to candidacy) if some of the course pre-requisites have not been satisfied. All pre-requisites must be completed prior to receiving the MS degree.
For international students taking the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), scores of at least 90 are required for admission, and at least 100 for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship. The Institution Code for test scores for UVM is 3920.
All applications must be completed online.
Applications will require three letters of recommendation, college transcripts, Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores, and TOEFL scores for those whose native language is not English.
Applicants whose files are complete by March 1 receive full consideration for admission and for financial support starting in the Fall Semester. The deadline for all other applicants is April 1. Typically, we don't consider admissions for the Spring Semester, although we do sometimes make an exception for highly qualified applicants that need to complete some of the prerequisites. Financial support is not available in such cases.
TOEFL/IELTS
If English is not the applicant’s first language, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score is required. UVM requires a minimum band IELTS score of 6.5. and 7.0 for funding. For TOEFL see scores see attached chart. For information about test dates and sites for TOEFL, contact TOEFL ; and for IELTS, contact IELTS . If an international student has attended a U.S. institution for three or more years, the Office of Admissions may waive the requirement for TOEFL or IELTS scores on a case-by-case basis.
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